Have You Lost Your Marketing Mojo? 5 Ways to Spice-up Your Marketing

Have You Lost Your Marketing Mojo? 5 Ways to Spice-up Your Marketing

Although marketing is creative by design, there is no guarantee those creative juices won’t run dry from time to time. For many top notch marketing teams, the transition from traditional to digital marketing staved-off the creative dry spell. Multiple platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube were virtual playgrounds on which marketers implemented new strategies and published new content. Social Media Managers were brought on board to expand marketing into new arenas. However, the flood of creativity that accompanied the arrival of digital marketing may be tapering off a bit. If you feel like it’s time for a “reboot” or even a “refresh” of your marketing mojo, don’t fret. We are here to help!

1. Evaluate Your Content: Take a good look at the content you’ve created over the last 12 months and ask yourself some questions: What worked? What didn’t? Are you creating content addressing the whole buying cycle? Is your content varied or are you continually focusing on one or two topics of interest? Do you optimize for various “hot topics” in your industry, or are you just jumping on someone else’s content bandwagon? Now take a look at what your competitors are writing about. Are you missing portions of the buying cycle? Have you failed to address innovations in your industry? Instead of pumping out repetitive material, can you take a new stance on an old topic? Have you ever tried to argue the opposite opinion?

2. Get out of your comfort zone. Long-form content such as blog posts and articles are typically the go-to content delivery method. While your content developers might be gifted writers, why not take a stab at something new such as creating video, podcasts, or GIFs? Have you tried to convey your ideas using infographics or even a meme or two? There a million freelancers who will create an original infographic for a couple hundred dollars and the great thing about a well-thought out infographic is its versatility – leverage it across all of your digital and print media forums. There are also several websites that will help you create your own! How about bringing in new perspectives from guest authors, conducting interviews with thought leaders in your industry or even hosting a customer Q&A? Launching a Facebook campaign is an excellent way to generate excitement for a new product by showing them the benefits rather than telling them, while building your email list at the same time. And don’t overlook the “experts” who have already blazed a trail. Create a Recommended Reading List for your audience, or better yet, engage your audience by asking for their recommended reading. It’s even a good idea to repackage archived content in the form of an eBook or a PDF offered as a free download.

3. Use your analytics but don’t be a victim of Paralysis by Analysis. Many companies have yet to address the issue of analytics. Some are overwhelmed by the enormity of the idea; while others are beginning to wade into the pool of big data. However, educating yourself on the “ins and outs” of your analytics will inevitably drive the direction your marketing team takes. Recognizing where your strategy is weakest presents a challenge that will allow you to tap into the creative side that may have been dormant for the past 6 months.

4. Get organized! Nothing gets those creative juices flowing like a deadline! Publishing frequently and regularly is imperative to building and keeping your audience. Create and commit to a Content and/or Editorial Calendar. Ideally, aligning your content with the business objectives of your company will allow you to develop a dynamic editorial calendar. No more “winging it” and posting when an idea “comes to you.” Go out there and chase down those industry-driven topics, keeping your content fresh and consistent. And once you set your calendar, track its effectiveness – words, topics, platforms, frequency and even the timing of your posts can have a huge effect on your engagement.

5. Watch how the “experts” do it. It is said, that if you are having trouble writing, it’s because you aren’t doing enough reading. The same can be said about developing creative content. Creating new material is not easy. There are only so many industry-related topics that can be discussed. However, the more time you spend reading your peers’ as well as your competitors’ content, the more likely you are to have that lightbulb moment! Sometimes it will be a new take on an old idea. Other times, your opposition to existing opinion will bring your best writing to life. Whether you wholeheartedly agree or fervently disagree with the opinion du jour, your passionate response will inspire creative content

6. Bonus Idea: Don’t ignore good ol’ fashioned offline marketing tactics. Over the past 12 months, we have seen a resurgence in direct mail, lunch & learns, attendance at networking events and association sponsorships. Don’t underestimate the power of these “throwback” strategies!

Digital Marketing brings with it a world of creative options for content development and delivery. However, it is easy to fall into a marketing rut- churning out the same comfortable material and disseminating it through the same reliable channels. Taking the time to evaluate the focus of your current content as well as analyzing your analytics to determine that content’s success, will highlight new discussions waiting to be launched. In addition, exploring new and creative ways of distributing your content will bring life to this fresh material and reinvigorate existing content.

About the Authors
Ken Schmitt is the President and Founder of TurningPoint Executive Search and the Sales Leadership Alliance. Specializing in placing sales, marketing and operations professionals across the country, Ken’s 16 years of recruiting experience have equipped him with the knowledge to serve as a thought partner to his clients for all recruiting, hiring and human capital-related initiatives. Ken sits on the board of Junior Achievement, the American Marketing Association, the San Diego HR Roundtable and is an Advisory Board Member for San Diego Sports Innovators (SDSI).

Vicky Willenberg has served as the Social Media Manager for TurningPoint since 2011. In 2014, she was elevated to Digital Marketing Manager, broadening her participation across all things digital for the firm. A former teacher with a Masters in Education, Vicky is an active and published blogger at The Pursuit of Normal and a marketing professional. She has her finger on the pulse of the latest trends in the recruiting, hiring and leadership sectors.